Contacts and Mail won't sync between iPhone and Mac.

Registered

I just don't get Syncing. Ever since I got my first iPhone I've had problems getting my Contacts and Mail on my phone to match what appears in Mail and Contacts on my Mac. I thought iCloud would sort this out but all it does is create duplicate copies of all my contacts on my Mac, so I keep iCloud turned off.

Currently using iOS7 and OS10.8.5. I would be grateful if someone could talk me through setting my phone up to duplicate my Mac's info. Right now, when I try to Sync in iTunes it says "iTunes could not sync mail accounts to the iPhone because the mail accounts are in use by the phone". (It says this even when I disable the phone's mail accounts.) My Contacts don't match those on my Mac either. I'm at a complete loss as to how this is supposed to work. Can't understand why it's so difficult.

Rosie Moderator

I don't do a sync of contacts, calendar, or emails when I connect my iPhone to the computer because it duplicates every everything. iCloud will do the job on its own. Just make sure you have your iCloud log in information on your computer and your phone.

When I add a contact to my phone, it gets added to my computer address book. It is the same with my calendar. And because iCloud email is an IMAP account, there should be no need to sync emails.

Registered

Rosie Moderator

On your computer in System preferences>iCloud you should be signed in. Then select Contacts, Calendar, & Bookmarks. The others like Photo Stream and documents are at your preference.
Now on your phone in System Preferences>iCloud select the same settings as on your computer.

When you connect phone to computer, make sure you are only doing updates for apps and system, and back up to computer only.
There should be no duplicates.

Registered

iTunes won't help you sync contacts, messages, notes from between iPhone and Mac, but you can sync music, videos, photos, I suggest you try Mobiledic phone transfer application to transfer messages from iphone on your Mac, it woks fine and back up all of your data from iphone to Mac.